“Today, We have now seen global solidarity in action,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commending Member States for their generosity. “We have brought a message of hope to the millions of Syrians who have been affected by this terrible crisis (...) I thank His Highness, the Emir of Kuwait, for this remarkable effort and for his country’s very generous contribution of $300 million for the humanitarian response.”

The conference, which was hosted by the Emir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, and chaired by the Secretary-General, gave Member States an opportunity to continue supporting the much-needed humanitarian response seeking US$1.5 billion to help millions of people affected by the Syria crisis.

“The needs are huge,” said UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos addressing the conference. “The UN estimates that four million people need urgent humanitarian assistance, including two million who have fled their homes and are now living without the most basic services: without clean water, sanitation facilities and electricity.”

About $1 billion is for the Refugee Response Plan (RRP), which will support over 700,000 refugees who have fled Syria to neigbouring countries such as Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt. The Syria Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan (SHARP) requires more than $519 million to help over 4 million people inside Syria, including an estimated 2 million who have been forced from their homes by the violence.

Ms. Amos added that the SHARP will be used for humanitarian work in ten sectors inside Syria to meet essential needs, adding that the plan is based on four priorities which consist of: providing relief supplies such as food, healthcare and water to the most vulnerable; helping people who have fled their homes and the communities hosting them; supporting reconstruction of critical infrastructure; and helping the poorest people avoid total destitution.